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Author Topic: 4 or 8 shaft loom?  (Read 7337 times)

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
4 or 8 shaft loom?
« on: November 16, 2016, 09:26:12 am »
I am thinking about buying myself a new 32 inch ashford table loom but can't decide between a 4 or 8 shaft one.

There is only about £50 difference between the two so logic would say get the 8 shaft but would I really use 8 shafts?

I am not a great weaver and am wondering is 8 would be a step too far.

Any of you great weavers out there got an opinion?
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

Louise Gaunt

  • Joined May 2011
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2016, 11:34:58 am »
I am not a great weaver, just a beginner, so not sure how valid my view will be! I have a four shaft Weavemaster I bought from eBay, and so far it has met my beginners needs. However, if I were to progress I would move up to eight shafts, as it just gives you greater flexibility. My weaving teacher is very keen on having binder threads to give a firm selvedge. With eight shafts you can work a four shaft pattern plus have your binder threads on separate shafts for instance. I rpthink you need eight for double sided cloth etc. I would go for eight, it just gives you the greater scope for developing your skills, although many weavers produce complex designs with only four!

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2016, 11:45:23 am »
You could get the 4-shaft and never run out of patterns to weave.

But yes, if you want to do doubleweave (double width, or a tube, and so on) in patterns other than tabby / plainweave, then you would need 8 shafts.  And there are, of course, many more gazillions of patterns available to you with the extra shafts.

If you can afford the £50, I would most definitely get the 8-shaft.  If you've got competing uses for the £50, though, then you might want to think about it a bit harder.

It's also worth mentioning that the Ashford stand and treadles a) only offer direct tie-up (one treadle per shaft), and b) only offer treadles for 4 shafts.  So if you'd been planning to use the loom foot-driven, the extra 4 shafts would still need to be hand-manipluated.  (I suspect this doesn't apply in this case, but thought I'd add it for any subsequent readers coming across this thread.)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2016, 11:49:19 am »
I have a 24" 8-shaft and a 16" 4-shaft with stand.  The latter is for sampling, small projects and for taking out and about, and I decided I would get the available secondhand 4-shaft one, as most workshops and so on are likely to be fine on only 4 shafts so as to be applicable to most people.  I think I would always want 8 shafts for a wider loom, just to give that flexibility.  Plus I know I want to do doubleweave twills :)

ETA my sister now has a 16-shaft.  I'm not sure if I'm envious, or just think my head would explode!  :D
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2016, 11:58:00 pm »
I would say go for the higher number of shafts. You have far more versatility.

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2016, 08:02:11 am »
Thanks Lesley, seems to be unanimous for the 8 shaft and the good news is OH has said he will buy my loom for Christmas  :)
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2016, 10:28:57 am »
Looking forward to seeing what you weave on that Bionic  :wave:
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: 4 or 8 shaft loom?
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2016, 11:11:31 pm »
Thanks Lesley, seems to be unanimous for the 8 shaft and the good news is OH has said he will buy my loom for Christmas  :)


Woohooooo! I should hang on to him, Sally, if he buys you gifts like that.  ;)

 

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